ST PAUL, Minn. — Producers Moa Xiong and Kara Doucette are hosting Coalesce, a new event happening as part of Fashion Week MN at Allianz Field on April 30, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.
Coalesce by definition means to come together as a whole. This collaborative show will be just that - bringing together AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) creatives from around the Twin Cities to unify their cultures through fashion, food, art, music, and more.
Xiong has been a part of Fashion Week MN for years and wanted a show that was entirely AAPI. Doucette is an adopted Korean who a few years back was able to reconnect with her birth father in Seoul. Food is what brought Doucette and her father together. Since food is such an important piece of the AAPI community, Doucette knew this is what would build connection between guests of all different backgrounds for the upcoming show.
Coalesce will be emceed by KARE 11’s very own Sharon Yoo with designs by Trin Collective, Jocii Designs, Femme Retale, Melevated, Moosa Clothing, M. Heurh Designs, Sonu Lane, Allison Pham, Debbie X & Co, hair by Jamee Kim, makeup by Kalia Yang, styling by Lucy Vang, and photography by Michelle Lee.
Xiong says, “It is important to make sure that everyone is known and seen.” At the end of the runway show, everyone who worked on Coalesce will also walk the runway, not just one designer or producer. This means the production team, creative lead team, photographers, makeup artists, wardrobe team, and others will get a chance to be celebrated.
Because St. Paul has a large Asian population, it was important to find a local venue to reflect that same vision of building community. Allianz Field seems the perfect choice. Special Events Manager for Allianz Field Sophia Landry says “hosting unique events to build a more inclusive community is what we want Allianz to be known for just as much as soccer.” In order to be more inclusive, Allianz’s caterer Delaware North is working with Xiong and Doucette to curate a custom menu. Doucette’s goal is “to make both Korean street food and traditional food even more accessible and approachable to Minnesotans."
Tickets for Coalesce range from $55 for general admission to $85 for front row VIP tickets (which include a swag bag and entry to a cocktail hour with food and drinks). Tickets can be purchased online at coalescecollectivemn.com.
For more information on Coalesce, visit coalescecollectivemn.com and follow them on social media @coalescecollectivemn.
For a full list of shows for Fashion Week MN Spring 2022, visit https://www.fashionweekmn.com/spring-2022-tickets.
